okay, here goes...

I know that original sin is almost universally believed and accepted as truth, but...

do you believe in the concept of original sin? If so, do children go to hell if they aren't Christians?

if you DON'T believe in original sin, then can someone who isn't a Christian go to heaven if they do not sin?

I do believe in the concept of original sin.

There is an "age of accountability" when a child become accountable. My 4 year old is not old enough yet to grasp the concept of salvation by grace. She knows who Jesus is, but doesn't understand the concept of heaven and hell. Therefore, if she were to pass away then she would go to heaven. I don't think there is a universal age of accountabitlity. I think that only God knows a person's or child's heart.

I agree.

John 3:16 and onwards gives us the explanation why ppl are sent to everlasting damnation.

16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
18 He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.
21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God."

Rom 5:13 "but sin is not imputed when there is no law. "


Rom 3:20 "for by the law is the knowledge of sin. "

A young child cannot understand "Do not commit adultery, or Do not commit murder"
Usually they're afraid of the opposite sex and getting 'cooties' LOL

Anyway without the knowledge of sin by the law, sin isn't punished. So a child would not go to hell for not knowing turning to Christ, since they don't understand.

There is no specific "age of acountabilty" apart from when I child understands salvation. Once a kid learns and understands salvation, that is when they need to make the choice.

As for some age of understanding right and wrong, there is nothing scriptural about any of it. All the Bible does is talk about God's love for his children througout the OT and parts of NT.

The concept of Original Sin was created by Saul of Tarsus (better known as Paul). Well, when he wrote it down he was Paul anyway.

He began the idea that man had fallen away from God (Eden) and was constantly growing closer to God with time. For instance God had nurtured us in the OT to the point where he thought we were ready for Jesus. And now that Jesus has come and gone (the first time), we are to grow closer even still prior to the end times.

Basically Jesus's entire message was that love replaces the law. He threw out Jewish law and said simply "love your neighbors as yourself" and then everything else will fall into place. The Hebrews were accoustomed to folloeing the law to the letter because that is how they measured obedience.

Jesus came along and said, don't worry about following all of these little specific do's and don't, just love one another and things will take care of themselves.

If you look at that like a little child and God as the parent you will begin to see the analogy. A parent has a lot of little rules for their kid to follow while growing up, but as they get older and wiser and more mature the parent loosens those rules until the child is on their own and the rules are irelavent. The rules have their time and place, but eventually the child aims to please his parents because he loves them, not because he will get punished for breaking the rules as he did when he was younger.

Same with humanity. The rules dont matter anymore. We do things to please God because we love Him, not because we are scared of being punished for breaking the rules.


It's 4am I hope this makes sense?